06 November 2009

South Korea Wants To Sell Tanks To Malaysia

BANGKOK -- South Korea is keen to sell its Next Infantry Fight Vehicle K21 and Black Fox armoured vehicle to the Malaysian Armed Forces.

Doosan DST, which produces the tanks, is currently making efforts to convince the Malaysian government that the two armoured vehicles would be suitable for the army.

Its marketing director, Col (R) Dae-Sup Hwang, said the purchase of the tanks would complement the 70 PT-91 tanks from Poland currently being used by the Malaysian army.

"The K21 is designed for deployment in the 21st century battlefield environment. It has many state-of-the-art features, including the third generation anti-tank missile system," he said in an interview after Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi visited its booth at the Defence and Security 2009 exhibition here Wednesday.

He said the company had experience in supplying armoured vehicles for the use of Malaysian Armed Forces in peacekeeping operations.

He said the company sold 111 Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicles (KIFV) to Malaysia between 1993 and 1995.

Korea's Doosan Blackfox 6x6 (photo : Military Today)

On the K21, Dae-Sup said it was designed for deployment in the 21st century battlefield environment and had many state-of-the-art features, including the third generation anti-tank missile system.

He said the company's top management, led by president and chief executive officer Hang Seok Um had just returned from a visit to Malaysia where they met several top brass of the Malaysian army.

More than 158 defence and security manufacturers, including Sapura Secured Techonologies, SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd and Asian Defence Journal, are taking part in the exhibition.

Sapura executive vice-president Wan Shaharuddin Wan Mahmood said they were looking at the global markets for the Cyber Eye 2 Unmanned Aircraft after successful delivery to its first customer, the Thai Air Force, in October 2008.

"We are looking at more Asian countries and also the rest of the world," he added.